Essentially, that was the message Wednesday from ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper, who said the Jets have too many needs to force a "need" pick with the ninth overall choice in the draft.

"They have as many needs as any team in the National Football League," Kiper said on a media conference call. "There are so many question marks, so many areas they could go."

Kiper said upgrading the pass rush is "necessary" for a defensive-minded coach like Rex Ryan, and he tabbed Barkevious Mingo, an undersized speed rusher from LSU, for the Jets at No. 9. Kiper also said they need to upgrade Mark Sanchez's supporting cast, mentioning Stanford TE Zach Ertz as a second-round possibility.

"They’ve taken some hits (in free agency), they've got a lot of holes, they've got a ton of areas of need," Kiper said. "Don’t worry about filling needs, just take the best players. They’ve got so many need areas, you just take the best player on the board. Don’t force anything. For the first-round pick, if Mingo is there at nine, he’s worthy of being the ninth pick."

Mingo (6-foot-4, 241 pounds) played defensive end in college, but he's projected by many teams as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Right now, he's more potential than production, as he recorded only 4.5 sacks last season.